Feelfree - Camel Trolley at Appomattox River Company

 My review on the Feelfree - Camel Trolley at Appomattox River Company. 



I recently purchased the Camel Trolley from Appomattox River Company. I have had little time to play around with the trolley until this weekend. Setting the Camel Trolley up out of the box is very simple, the concept is great but as soon I set it down to take on my kayak,  one of the wheels became loose.  A little wiggle and the wheel would simply fall off. Additionally, when I was able to get the wheel to stay in place long enough for me to sit my Ride 135, the cam would come loose. So, I tried sitting my Ascend A10 on the trolley as it is much lighter than the Ride 135. As soon as I began to pull the kayak, off came the wheel. Argh!

I contacted ARC, fantastic folks by the way, I'll be sending back the Camel Trolley in exchange for Sea to Summit Sit-on-Top Cart. I may have received a bad trolley or the parts are just that cheap, either way, I had high hopes for this product and now I sit here wondering if maybe I made the wrong decision and should have just gone with the C-Tug from the get go. We shall see...

Camping, Fishing, and Farming

I had a great weekend of camping, some competitive fishing, and some farming.

On Friday, I made my way down to Farmville, VA to fish the 5th Annual YakAttack Central Virginia for Heroes on the water Tournament.

The trip took about 3 hours but it was worth it. When I arrived, the scene was unbelievable with rigged kayaks everywhere.

The event was filled with laughs, stories, and great food. Thanks to Luther Cifers of YakAttack and family who cooked the meals for the event. The ribs and chowder on Friday and the pig on Saturday was on point--mighty delicious!

On Saturday morning, the alarm went off at 4:15 a.m. However, no alarm was really needed thanks to the local rooster. So, off to Sandy River Reservoir I went.

It only took me a few minutes before I was onto my first fish. The problem is in kayak fishing tournaments, you have to measure your fish, mouth closed and tail in natural position. Well, just as I was about to take my second attempt of snapping a photo for photographic evidence, she jumps off my measuring device. She measured at 16 inches, not enough to win but it sure was disappointing. My second fish came on a go to swim jig unfortunately, it was a 16.5 inch catfish on the other end.

There was no way my junk fish would place once I took a look at Dan Hart's monster carp. He caught this carp on a 4wt fly rod. Wow!

Fish & Wildlife Unlimited Taxidermy donated these beautiful trophies. 

My new friend, Bill. (aka Mr. Zara Spook with Tiny Torpedo)

I want to thank Luther Cifers, Jim and Tina Shank, and all the sponsors for doing a fantastic job of making this event possible. I had a great time and by the looks of the veterans returning to shore, they had a heck of a time.  I will definitely be attending again next year. This time I'll ensure I take my stronger allergy medication ahead of time.

Farming and Fishing on Sunday

My allergies kept me from staying another night and opportunity to fish Briery Creek. So, I took the girls to Bluemont Farms to pick strawberries and do a little fishing.

My daughter picking strawberries with a smile.

Some farm pond fishing. These were caught on a Strike King Shim E Stick Texas-rigged.
The weekend was full of great laughs, meeting new friends, fishing, and still had time to spend quality time with my family.

Maiden Voyage

I finally was able to make it out on the water yesterday. Although, it wasn't my most productive outing in terms of fishing, I definitely enjoyed being out on the water and finding ways to adjust for future outings.

My thoughts:

The 2012 Ride 135 is a remarkable and impressive kayak. I could not believe how much space I have, the stability, and the tracking of this yak. Additionally, the replaceable skid plate on the keel is simply fantastic!

Lessons learned:

• Get rid of the tackle bag and invest in a CratePak Max or modify my existing crate. 
• Add STS to the bow where I secure the paddle under the bungee and where the tip and butt of the pole rests when laying on the deck.
• Add anchor trolley 
• Add nylon pad eyes to secure rods
• Invest in a kayak cart. I have my eyes on the Feel Free Camel Kayak Cart - 2012

Here is some footage of me avoiding the skunk. I did miss a few on a wacky rigged senko but the swim jig and Fat Albert grub came to the rescue. Whew!


Here is a shot of me standing on the Ride. Thanks Roney (A fellow KBF member and Beaver Dam fishing partner).

Minor modifications to the Ride 135

I received my package from Hook1 which included Silent Traction System Kit, NITEStripe, and a couple of Hook1 decals yesterday. Time to get add a little modifications to this beauty of a yak.

Before:


After:

The STS reduces noise that is caused by banging paddles, poles, and other gear. I placed them in areas where I will stand and where the paddle will have the most contact with the yak.

The NITEStripe is for safety while out on my night adventures and the decals to show my support for Hook1.

Anchor trolley up next.

The Ride

My Wilderness Systems Ride 135 2012 came in yesterday. I want to thank Tom at Appomattox River Company for making this purchase a smooth experience.

Here is the unboxing or unwrapping...

Shock the Body and the Wallet

      I've been extremely busy the last few months with work, class, and honey do lists. Don't get me started on my allergies, that is a different story. Anyway, my time is precious and I pray the weather gods are on my side when I have a block of time set aside for some fishing. Well, the weather gods have not been on my side this weekend. I had a few hours blocked off yesterday afternoon, hoping to get some fishing in. The forecasters had called for rain all day on Saturday and Sunday. Well, as it turned out, the rain and wind came on Saturday afternoon. And it came fast with cooler temperatures.

     Talk about shocking the body with warm temperatures followed by this cold, rainy yuck stuff. So, I spent that time researching paddles. I was looking for a light paddle that did cost more than $200.00. I made the mistake of purchasing an inexpensive Carlisle Day Tripper paddle when I decided to jump into the sport. Let me tell you, that paddle is one heavy paddle when you are trying to paddle with one hand and fight a fish or retrieve a hung lure.

    So, I narrowed my choices to two paddles. One that I tested and liked because of how light it was. It being the Werner Camano. However, a couple of local kayak anglers I spoke to on a recent outing had the Aqua-Bound Sting Ray Carbon paddle, they told me how great the paddle was for the cost and as I held one, I really couldn't tell the difference between the two.

    My findings on the paddles:
Werner Camano - $220.00 at 27.25 ounces
Aqua-Bound Sting Ray Carbon - $189.00 at 28.5 ounces

   My decision was made. I placed my order via Appomattox River Company for a Aqua-Bound Sting Ray Carbon paddle and a Wilderness Systems Ride 135 2012 in Orange. Hook'em! \m/

   Some modifications I intend to make on this Ride are add a few stickers, camera mount, anchor trolley, and fish finder on the side track. More to come once I receive my toys.

Outing Number 2 at Beaver Dam Reservoir

I had a visitor coming today, so I got off to a late start. I launched roughly around 12:30p.m. The winds were up a bit around 11-14mph. I headed out to my favorite point but I could not keep my position. My little 10 footer was being blow around. I decided to hit a few coves but all I managed was a couple of small crappie off a 1/8 gold Kastmaster spoon.

Off to my final cove before I called a day. The wind was beginning to pick up. I felt I had one more shot. I decided to put the spinner down and pick up old faithful, swim jig and Fat Albert grub. I positioned myself to target a drop off at the entrance to the cove. On my first cast, BAM! I picked up this nice little bucketmouth.

Although the wind was a bit strong for my taste, I did manage to get out and enjoy the outdoors. At the end of the day, that's what it is all about.